Shabina Hussain, Housekeeper at Newham University Hospital, filmed in artist's studio in September 2020.
In 2020 Shabina Hussain worked as a Housekeeper in Newham Hospital’s Emergency Department. Her job includes topping up gloves and hand gel, providing breakfast, offering tea and coffee, keeping areas clean, welcoming patients, and making sure people, especially elderly patients, are fed, comfortable, and supported.
She explains that she has autism, anxiety, and a learning disability, and says the ED team provides one‑to‑one support, positive feedback, and workplace adjustments. She feels proud and happy working in a team that treats her like family. Before COVID, Shabina was anxious about the virus and upset seeing elderly patients alone without relatives, often waiting hours without food or comfort. This was especially hard during the first wave, seeing patients isolated all day was emotionally hard for Shabina. She often felt stressed and exhausted, but colleagues supported her.
She later contracted COVID 19 herself. She recalls how hard it was not being allowed to leave her room except to open the window or briefly step into the garden. She couldn’t see her parents or siblings because she isolated alone. She was very ill and it took her two months to recover.
Despite everything, Shabina Hussain thinks that ED is the best place to work: the team is friendly, supportive, and feels like one big family. Working in ED was her dream job, and she feels proud to be part of it.
Keywords: Accident and Emergency (A&E), Teamwork, Impact on family, PPE, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)